Reikai Wars
by Chrissy Sky
Summary: A YYH/Star Wars fusion. Kurama/Hiei. Old fic, discontinued.
1. Prologue: In a Galaxy Far, Far Away

**Reikai Wars**

Part One: Hope

Hiei/Kurama

By: Chrissy Sky

Notes and dedications: To Rose-sensei who always helps me out with these things. I originally started writing this while I was going through a rough time, and decided to stop and not show it to her because I wasn't sure about it. Months later, she read it and convinced me to finish. This was written specifically for her Green Grapes and Lemonade contest, but I didn't finish by the deadline. So, if I ever do end up finishing it, it'll be a miracle.

* * *

Prologue: In a Galaxy Far, Far Away

_It was about another time, another galaxy_

_It was about the Reikai of old. No need to know when it began or from where its ruler came from, only to know… it was _the _Reikai._

_It was about the Tantei, who protected the peace and justice in the galaxy. _

_It was about greed and power.._

_The Reikai grew prosperous as a democracy, ruling over Ningens and Youkai for the greater good of the universe. But as many people know, power corrupts. The Reikai began to fall apart when it had reached this time, eating away from the core and outwards._

_A senator rose to power, aided by greedy members in the Reikai, joining with him in a dark alliance. The senator framed Lord Enma, with the unknowing help of Hina, the elected queen of the Koorime of Naboo. This senator made himself Lord of Reikai, then soon thereafter the Emperor of the Galaxy. _

_Calling his rule over the galaxy The Meikai, Emperor Yomi shut himself away in a dark palace, his guards bringing in young beauties for him to spend his evenings with, and in the morning they brought out the mangled remains. The Emperor ruled from his palace, uncaring and omnipotent, and the people suffered horribly in his empire. _

_The Tantei had tried to stop this, for it went against everything they believed in, and they were destroyed by Emperor Yomi's forces by both deception and war._

_But a small band of rebels stood up against the Meikai. They began the battle to reestablish the Reikai, despite the odds against them. Yomi's men worked around the clock both fighting against them and covering up the rebellion's progress from the public. _

_The Reikai was far from winning the battle, though. They awaited for the day when the last of the Tantei would appear, and a new age of heroes would be born, a new hope who would bring peace to this unbalanced world…_


	2. Chapter One: Do You Hate Tatooine?

**Reikai Wars**

Part One: Hope

Hiei/Kurama

By: Chrissy Sky

* * *

Chapter One: Do you hate Tatooine?

The Meikai troopers weren't afraid of a lot of things. They took control of the rebel vessel easily, without many losses to their numbers and a lot to their enemies. They wore gleaming white armor and seemed very proud of themselves, even though their captives could not see their smug faces behind their masks.

The troopers stood aside, however, as their leader walked past, some even shaking with fright. The tall Youkai, whose every step echoed a dark, mysterious power that none of them could possibly imagine. Such was his ability. And the reason why he, Toguro, was Emperor Yomi's second in command.

Toguro looked around at the people littering the floor, his dark-tanned face expressionless.

"Search until you've found what we're after," he ordered. "And bring the passengers to me."

It didn't matter to whom he spoke. The troopers scrambled, both hurrying to complete the task quickly and to get out of his presence.

Toguro was powerful. They had all the right in the galaxy to be scared.

* * *

George was getting frantic. Their ship had been overrun with Meikai fighters, and they knew that this was a Reikai sympathizer's ship.

George didn't know what was going on, exactly, and that was probably a good thing. Not that it would matter. If they caught him, they wouldn't believe that he didn't have any information. He was a droid and they would destroy him if they thought he might know what they were looking for.

Whatever that could be.

But he was more worried about his friend. He had to find him quickly.

And somehow, the two of them had to find a place to hide while all of this blew over. Or maybe they could surrender to the Meikai. Maybe they would believe them if they willingly gave themselves over.

He was a droid, but he was a very naïve one.

Suddenly, he saw who he was looking for.

His short companion, Koenma, stood in a darkened hallway. A young girl squatted on the ground next to him, looking as if she had just finished telling the little droid something. She stood when she saw George, fright in her eyes until she saw who it was. She was short, though not as short as Koenma was, with long azure colored hair, big red eyes, and a wonderful smile.

George searched his memory circuits. He'd only seen the girl once before during the journey. She was supposed to be some diplomat, he thought. She had better go and hide before the Meikai found her. She was pretty, as far as living organisms went, and it would be bad if she were hurt.

The girl turned and ran down another passageway. George lost sight of her after then, but it didn't matter now. He walked over to Koenma.

The little droid turned on his taller, bulkier companion when he saw him. "Idiot! Where were you?"

George stopped, startled. "Koenma-sama, I was looking for _you_. Who was that girl?"

"What girl?" There was a new object sticking to Koenma's face, and it looked an awful lot like a child's pacifier.

"The girl that was just here."

"She wasn't just any girl, she was a Koorime." The stout droid turned and began to "walk" down the hallway with his stubby legs wheeling along the floor.

George followed. "So, who was she?"

"Who was who?"

"Koenma-sama! You just remembered who she was. Now tell me."

"George, what are you babbling about? Stop making so much noise, we have to get off this ship before anyone notices us." Koenma stepped carefully, looking around them for Meikai troopers.

George was feeling incredibly frustrated at this point. "Get off the ship? How?"

"By the escape pods, you moron."

"Oh. Wait, the escape pods are for organic life forms, not us!"

"So?"

"But, Koenma-sama -"

"George, just shut up and do as I say," Koenma snapped. There was a note of finality in his high-pitched metallic voice.

"Okay," George said, meekly following his friend.

* * *

Two troopers led the Koorime to Toguro. Her eyes were wide with innocence, but there was a strength there that surprised the dark lord. Despite that she was so much smaller than him, there was an air of calm and sureness surrounding her.

Princess Yukina didn't wait for him to speak first. "Lord Toguro. I should have guessed it was you. The Senate will not forgive this, let me assure you. They'll nail you to the wall for it; attacking an diplomatic ship -"

"Don't play innocent with me, Senator," Toguro cut her off. "I know that you've intercepted those plans."

"What plans?" the girl asked, perplexed.

"_The _plans, the ones obtained during the battle. Where are they?" His voice was booming and it had an effect on his men, but not on the small girl.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the girl tried again stubbornly. "I'm on a mission to Coruscant for my father -"

"My dear, this space is nowhere near the capital," Toguro reminded her snidely.

"That's because we came here _also_ on business for my father -"

"Enough!" Toguro's eyes bored into her and she shrank back from that stare. "You're a horrible liar, Senator. I'll search this place until I find those plans, and I _will_ find them, _I _assure _you_."

Yukina glared at him as the guards escorted her off the ship and onto the Star Destroyer.

* * *

Initially, Koenma was worried that the Meikai would shoot down any shuttle abandoning the ship, but as they approached the planet below it seemed that they would make it after all. The Meikai probably thought the pod had short-circuited. Luckily for the two droids.

"Everything seems so small and insignificant from here," George remarked, staring back at the two ships they'd just left.

Koenma nodded in agreement, feeling the weight of his mission on his shoulders. If he were an organism he would heave a sigh, a long one. There was much he had to accomplish and not much time to do it in, if he guessed right.

And the planet he approached was so large… In that whole planet, he was supposed to find _one_ person.

The princess was depending on him. He had to.

* * *

No one stared directly into the twin suns. That was just idiotic.

The Tusken Raiders told fables about the planet once having magnificent oceans but they had all dried out long ago, the power of the suns.

Tatooine was one giant desert and really nothing more. Since it was located in the Outer Rim territories, and the Meikai didn't have jurisdiction there. It was one of the many places taken over by the Hutt gangsters. This one happened to be where Tarukane took residence. Tusken Raiders were scavengers that lived in the Dune Sea. Moisture Farmers skirted the small towns, like Anchorhead, futilely trying to procure water out of the dried up surface. Thieves, murderers, and other scrupulous types saw the planet as a haven from the Meikai.

That case was no different for the thieves that had raised Hiei. And for as long as he could remember he had lived here and knew nothing else.

But throughout his life he had heard of something more, of traveling among the stars, of other planets in the galaxy, lush and vibrant with life; of the capitol, Coruscant, the city that covered the entire planet; of the Meikai and the Rebellion. And looking up at those stars he always felt that there was supposed to be more in his life, that he was meant to do something great, rather than helping a bunch of thieves steal from moisture farmers and fight with Tusken Raiders. Did the power he had spent his life gaining mean nothing? The Jagan he had tamed, the metal blade he practiced with - and he was meant to spend the rest of his life here in this miserable, boring world, with all the excitement waiting in the stars? He hated Tatooine! More than anything, he waited for the day when he would leave it far behind, never to return.

Even more so as of late. The thieves had bought two droids from the Jawa Traders, a large and bulky protocol droid that looked like an oni and a JR unit that wouldn't stop complaining. While he was cleaning them he'd found that the Jawas had picked them up in the Dune Sea (for Jawas were scavengers too, but not as threatening as the Sandpeople) and that the JR unit, Koenma, carried a message, a plea for help…

From his sister.

The very sister his Jagan implant had showed him. His twin sister, whom he had been separated from at birth. In the farthest reaches of his senses, he could feel her and knew she was alive, but had no idea where in the expanse of the galaxy she could be. At last, he had a clue of where to find her - these two droids.

But the JR unit could only play one fragment of the message. "Help me, Genkai. You're our last hope." Over and over again, like a broken record. Threatening them, the JR unit proclaimed that he could play the rest if Hiei removed his restraining bolt, which kept the dome-headed droid from running away.

He should have really known better than to take it off when Koenma had told him that it was interfering with his recording system. But he hadn't thought that a dumb droid would actually try to trick him. Later, he had returned to the garage only to discover George hiding in a corner, hiding from him, and that Koenma was long gone.

Before the band of thieves had woken the next morning, Hiei took George out to find the annoying, stubby droid.

"Genkai lives out here in the Dune Sea," Hiei told the blue protocol droid offhandedly as they traveled. He made a minor adjustment to the controls of his land speeder. It was a two-seater model, made for quick travel rather than convenience and Hiei admitted it was a little worse for wear. "But it's unlikely that he managed to get this far." And he had no idea what he would tell the thieves about the twerp either. Not that he was afraid of them - quite the opposite. It was some misplaced sense of loyalty.

The intense look in the fire demon's eyes as he scanned the desert's horizon was, quite frankly, making the blue droid nervous. "Would it help if I told the masters that it was my fault, Hiei-sama?" George asked.

Hiei raised an eyebrow at that. "You're just a droid. I was the one responsible for the both of you." Not that he'd wanted to be in the first place. It was that bizarre sense of misplaced loyalty that kept him here, on this gods-forsaken planet! (That and the Meikai army wouldn't accept him because of his height; or rather lack of. The instructor that had conveyed to him that information? They had yet to find the body.) (1)

"Oh."

A light went off and took over Hiei's attention. "Ah ha! The scanner just found the little bastard. Hit the accelerator."

"Hiei-sama, you shouldn't call Koenma-sama a bastard. It's very impolite."

"Just do as I say!"

* * *

The speeder pulled to a stop just behind the scurrying little JR unit. Hiei and George exited and walked over to him, forcing the droid to stop.

"Thought you could get away, did you?" Hiei drawled, relief filling him. It was a miracle that the droid hadn't been picked up by scavengers by now. Not that he actually believed in miracles.

"I almost did!" Koenma said.

"Koenma-sama," George said, "Hiei-sama is our new master. You shouldn't have run away."

"You're lucky I don't blast you right here and now," Hiei told the dome-headed droid. "You're far more trouble than you're worth. And you can forget this Genkai crap." Though he would have to talk to the old hermit woman himself and find out what she had to do with his sister.

Then the JR unit said, "Oh dear."

"What now?" the fire demon snapped.

"I'm picking up several creatures approaching from the southeast on my scanners," Koenma reported.

Hiei frowned. "Sand people, probably." He went back to the speeder to grab his katana and electro-binoculars. "Or the thieves think I've run off with you. Both of you stay here," he commanded before heading off, leaving the two droids behind.

Making his way carefully up a ridge of the canyon, he looked down over the side with his 'binoculars and saw the Banthas. They were large, hirsute animals that Tusken Raiders used as transportation. That meant that the Tusken Raiders wouldn't be far away, probably trying to sneak up on Hiei and the droids from the rear.

"Hn." Pathetic. Surely a centuries-old tribe who had survived the twin suns and millions of settlers could think of a better plan than that.

"Hiei-sama?"

If he flitted down and scared the Banthas into a frenzy, he wondered how long it would take for the Sand People to chase them down. But the blue droid would have to stay out of sight - Wait a minute. Hiei whirled to look at George. "What the hell are you doing here? I told you to wait by the speeder."

"But Koenma-sama said that more of them were coming up from around the canyon - Oh my!" The electrodes serving as the droid's eyes actually widened in shock.

Hiei turned, but it was too late. The rifle collided with his head, sending him to the ground. The lucky Tusken Raider hooted victoriously, holding his arms and weapon up in the air.

* * *

There was nothing wrong with hiding, Koenma decided. And it was for the greater good! He couldn't get destroyed or deactivated now, not when his mission was so important. It was perfectly honorable in that case.

Right?

Though he did feel a twinge guilty when the Tusken Raiders appeared in front of his hiding place, a small alcove in the canyon wall, dropping an unconscious Fire Demon on the ground. Or at least Koenma thought he was. His new master could also be dead. Living beings had a habit of doing that. He wondered where George had gotten to. Had something happened to him? Scenarios of the scavengers greedily tearing apart his blue-covered friend began running through his little mind. As he watched, the Raiders took it upon themselves to look around Hiei's speeder. Looking for trinkets, things of value. In the end they would probably take the whole vessel.

But their plans were brought to an abrupt halt. A loud howl echoed around the canyon, either as a warning or a war cry. Koenma jumped and huddled further into his hidey-hole. The Sand People took off running, not even bothering to see what had made the sound.

A figure barely taller than he strode confidently forward, unafraid that the Raiders may return at any moment, figuring out her ruse. She was old, face weathered by the heat of this harsh planet, though it was easy to tell she had once been beautiful, by human standards. Her eyes were hard, intelligent, and strangely amused as she gazed at the fire demon. Then, she looked at Koenma.

"What are you standing over there for?" she asked, still looking as though she found the whole situation very funny. "Come here."

Koenma hesitated. He was smarter than the average droid. "Who are you? Why did you save us? Is he alright?"

She looked down at Hiei again. "Oh, he should be waking up about now," she announced mildly.

As if he heard her words, the demon's blood-red eyes snapped opened. After getting his bearings, he squinted up at the old woman. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Nice to see you too, Hiei," she said, eyes sparkling with humor.

Hiei looked closer. "Oh, it's you, Genkai." He gazed around himself again. "I don't suppose you know what happened to the Sand People who attacked me."

Genkai smirked. "Thought you could use the help." They had met before, when Hiei was much younger and had been trying to run away from his guardians. She had saved him then too.

"Hn." Hiei stood up with easy, fluid movements, eyes still scanning the canyon. He saw Koenma who now inched his way out of his hiding place. "I had them under control."

"So I saw," the old woman responded. She looked at the little dome-headed droid thoughtfully. "That yours?"

"Why? You want him?"

She made a face. "Not especially. Don't have much use for a droid. Why have you traveled so far from the thieves' encampment?"

Hiei tipped his chin in Koenma's direction. "He says he belongs to you. Little bastard ran away last night."

The 'little bastard' in question made an affronted beeping noise, speaking up. "I beg your pardon!"

Both beings decided to ignore him. "Me?" Genkai asked, frowning. "It's been quite some time since I've been near a droid, let alone owned one." Suspiciously, she gazed at the droid, who squirmed.

"I have a message for you!" heralded the nervous JR unit. Those intelligent eyes just squinted further and he added, "From the princess of Alderaan!"

"Princess?" Hiei was shocked enough that his surprise showed on his face. His sister was a princess?

"The message isn't for you," the droid said snidely. "You don't get to hear it."

That probably hadn't been the best thing to say. Hiei seethed and advanced on the droid. "What?" he demanded lowly. No one would keep him from finding his sister, especially the annoying little creep he'd spent the whole morning searching for.

Genkai held up a hand to stop him. "Calm down. You'll hear the message as well." Hiei didn't like the knowing look in her eyes. "Now I think it'd be best to leave before the Sand People decide they'd risk fighting a Krayt Dragon (2) for a speeder."

They headed toward the land speeder when Hiei suddenly remembered something. "Shit. The other one." The protocol droid was missing. It would not do to have gone out on this excursion to find the missing one and lose the other. Backtracking, with Genkai and Koenma trailing him, he found George on the ground, his arm detached - the injury having been sustained when he fell most likely. Getting the tall droid to his feet, they hurried to the speeder once more.

* * *

1. You must be so high to be a stormtrooper. And blind, deaf, and dumb. (No offense toward Yomi of course.)

2. The sound Ben makes to scare the Sand People away is supposed to be from this creature. Yes, I read Lucas' novel.


	3. Chapter Two: Like Father, Like…

**Reikai Wars**

Part One: Hope

Hiei/Kurama

By: Chrissy Sky

* * *

Chapter Two: Like Father, Like…

Genkai sipped her drink and watched as the young man sat across from her, reattaching the blue droid's arm.

"You're good at that," she remarked thoughtfully.

Hiei shrugged, twisting the tool in his hand until the "joint" in the "shoulder" tightened. George moved his arm experimentally. "It's just a way to pass the time."

"Your father was the same way," the old woman said over the rim of her cup. She smirked when she saw the boy turn, anger flashing in his eyes.

"What do you know about my father?!" the fire demon demanded. (3)

"That he was quick to anger, like you," she replied smoothly. "It figures that my least favorite quality about my old friend would be passed onto his child."

Hiei turned away from her, glowering. He didn't want to hear about this. Because of his father he was no better than a bastard, a Forbidden Child. That's why he as on Tatooine; this was where they, the Koorime, had cast him. Damn them all anyway - his father, mother, and his mother's people. He didn't care about them nor did he want to know about them. He just wanted to find his sister and keep her safe. And yet… a part of him, a small voice in his heart, really _did_ care. It kept him from telling Genkai to shut up and made him feel weak.

Though, Genkai was no fool. She could tell it as a sore subject. Might be safer to leave it for another time, she concluded. "I see you have a ward covering your Jagan. Have you mastered it?"

"Yes," the young man responded, voice tight. George became worried and inched away to sit next to Koenma, who was watching the scene with interest.

Genkai smiled slightly. "Then you'll know about your sister by now."

That made him look up. "I saw part of her message. What's all this about? Is she in trouble?"

The old woman shrugged. "Let's hear this _message_ and find out." She reached out and touched Koenma's domed head. The visage of the beautiful young Koorime appeared once more.

Yukina bowed formally before beginning. "Master Genkai. Years ago you served as one of the Reikai Tantei battling Emperor Yomi's tyranny and fighting alongside my father, Sensui. Now he bids you to join him once again in that continuing battle." She spoke calmly and politely, though she was obviously uneasy. "I regret I am unable to deliver this to you myself, but the Meikai have captured our ship and it is only a matter of time before I am caught as well." Hiei leapt out of his seat upon hearing this. "Please, Genkai, see this droid safely to my father. It is the carrier for secret plans vital to the survival of the Rebellion. Without it, the cause will be lost. Help me, Genkai, you're our last hope." With that, the image faded. Hiei whirled on Genkai.

"We need to save her," he said fiercely. "Now."

"Right, right." She took another sip of her tea, the fire demon all but breathing down her neck. She rose nimbly from her seat and walked across the room to a large chest. "First, I have something to give you."

"There's no time, she's in danger!"

"Patience, you hotheaded little brat!" the old woman snapped back. "This too is very important." She opened the chest and took out an oddly shaped cylinder; it resembled the head of a dragon. There were small gadgets and dials attached to it. "Since those Raiders totaled your metal sword, you'll be needing a suitable replacement - and there are few things that can top this." She handed the device to him.

Hiei hesitated, distrustful. "What the hell is it?"

"Just take the damn thing! It's a lightsaber. A laser sword; like your katana only this deflects blaster bolts," she explained. Curiosity shining in his red orbs, Hiei took the item. "An elegant weapon from a more civilized, refined age in our galaxy's history. It was carried by all the Tantei before the fall of the Reikai. That one was your father's."

The blue blade ignited in his hand, Hiei gave pause and looked at her. "My father?"

She nodded. "One of the many of Reikai Tantei killed when Toguro betrayed us and joined the Meikai." She paused for a moment, then decided to pull out and light a cigarette. "Toguro's one with the Dark Side now." Her voice was cold and angry.

"My father… a Tantei?" He sounded like he needed reassurance, like he didn't believe it. Couldn't believe it. Tantei were warriors, fighting for peace and justice. He didn't believe a _Tantei_ had sired him.

The old woman puffed on her cigarette. "He may have not been liked by the entire Tantei Order, but he was a good friend to me, and a good student. In the end, that was all that mattered." She paused again. "I miss him."

Hiei said nothing more.

* * *

Seeing a dark cloud in the horizon, Hiei and Genkai decided to take a detour in order to see what had happened. As they drew closer on the landspeeder, they were able to see the cause.

A Sandcrawler - the large transportation used by Jawa Traders - stood unmoving in the sun, smoldering, scorch marks from blaster shots all over the exterior. The bodies of dead Jawas lay scattered around on the sandy plain. Gaffi sticks, weapons associated with Tusken Raiders, were sitting among them, and tracks in the dirt proved to be belonging to Banthas.

Hiei, Genkai, and their two robotic friends walked among the bodies, looking at the massacre and what was left of the large Sandcrawler.

"It doesn't make sense," Hiei said, glaring in the bright sunlight. "Sand People don't normally attack anything this big. They're much more solitary."

Genkai nodded, crouching in the dirt to get a closer look at the Bantha tracks. "I don't think they did. These tracks are walking alongside each other, when Sand People march in single file so they can hide the numbers of their hunting parties."

"So it was a ruse." The fire demon glanced up at the Sandcrawler again. It looked vaguely familiar… Oh. Because he'd seen it before. Recently. "This is the same outfit that sold us the droids," he announced.

Genkai didn't look surprised. "Hmm. And if you look closely, you can tell the blaster shots weren't made by any Sand Person. They're too accurate."

"So it was done by someone else."

"The Meikai."

"Oh." He glanced back at the Koenma and George who were listening to the two organic life forms curiously. "So the Meikai followed _them _here to Tatooine, and tracked them to the Jawas who found them and sold them…" His eyes widened a fraction as he realized. "They'll have found the thieves' encampment by now." There wouldn't be time enough to reach them. And if the Meikai were this accurate at finding the two droids, they would be captured if they stayed any longer. "We'd better hurry up and leave this stupid planet then, if they're that determined."

Genkai made a face at one of the Jawas laying nearby. "The Meikai have never been squeamish about killing innocent bystanders. But it seems we're being no better, not taking the time to at least burn them before we run off." She shrugged. "Let's go." She turned and headed back toward the speeder. Hiei followed, shouting at the droids to hurry up.

* * *

Two troopers walked into the nearly frozen prison cell silently. Between the two of them, they carried a gilded cage, which imprisoned three small blue birds. Yukina glanced at them coldly before closing her eyes once again and continuing to ignore her interrogators. She was jolted out of her contemplation as she heard Lord Toguro's voice.

"I've been thinking a lot about these torture sessions, Princess," the tall, dark-skinned man said. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over his built chest. "Your guards seem to be at a loss at what to do. Grand Moff Sakyo is beginning to wonder whether we'll ever be able to make you talk. However, I think I have devised a solution." He bent down in front of the golden cage and opened the small doorway, gently pulling out one of the birds.

Yukina watched, confused. What was the dark lord up to?

"Long ago," the man continued, "I used to live with good people. Honorable people. Like yourself. I know how they think, how their beliefs work. A good person who protects others would rather die before seeing an innocent murdered." He looked at the girl, thoughtfully running a finger along the bird's small head. His large hands dwarfed the poor creature.

Yukina's eyes widened. "You wouldn't…"

"Wouldn't what?"

"Don't!" the princess nearly shouted. "That bird didn't do anything to you! Let it go!"

Toguro smirked. The bird cried out as his hand squeezed around its tiny frame. Yukina screamed, watching in horror as bones cracked and blood dripped upon the steel floor. The man's large hand opened and the body fell with a wet, sickening thump. The princess had her face covered, and she was sobbing openly. Tiny gems fell into her lap.

"Now, princess," said the dark lord. "Perhaps you will be more willing to tell us the location of your secreted rebel base."

"No," the girl cried. "I won't tell! No matter what you do, I won't tell!"

"Well," Toguro said, reaching into the cage for another bird, "I think we're going to be here for a while."

* * *

3. And the omnipotent author takes more liberties. No, his father is not Toguro. Toguro's not a freaking fire demon, for one thing. And Sensui isn't really Yukina's father. Her step-father, rather. (Bail Organa was Leia's step-father.)


	4. Chapter Three: The RedHaired Scoundrel

**Reikai Wars**

Part One: Hope

Hiei/Kurama

By: Chrissy Sky

* * *

Chapter Three: The Red-Haired Scoundrel

At Genkai's instruction, Hiei pulled the land speeder to another stop on a bluff overlooking the city of Mos Eisley. He raised one of his eyebrows as the old woman climbed out of the speeder, carrying his 'binoculars.

"What are you doing?" he asked, changing positions so that he was sitting atop the headrest of his seat.

"Ah ha!" said the old woman, looking down upon Mos Eisley through the magnifying glass. "Just as I thought. The Meikai are already there, checking everyone who enters. We'll have to leave the speeder behind and sneak into the city." It would be hard with the droids, but they could manage it.

"What's this place like? I've never been farther than Ankorhead all my life," Hiei admitted. He thought it better to know about the place before waltzing in.

Genkai shrugged, getting back into the speeder. "Just your average, every day spaceport on Tatooine. Full of people just a bit more dishonorable than the ones you used to live with." She smiled. "You'll feel right at home."

Hiei revved up the engine, frowning. "Right."

* * *

Covering the land speeder with a sand-colored tarp, the four trekked toward the city. Genkai wrapped up her face with bandages. Hiei donned his dark cloak and white scarf. In broad daylight they snuck into Mos Eisely - since there was no time to wait for darkness to fall. They mingled into the relative crowd on the streets, moving out of sight when they saw the familiar armor of a Meikai trooper. If they looked closely enough, they saw others acting the same.

"Where are we going?" Koenma asked as they hid in a dark alley.

"We need to buy ourselves a transport," Genkai answered, her voice low. "I know a place where we can hire the type of pilots who don't ask too many questions - and who are just as afraid of getting caught by the Meikai as we are."

"The gang used to talk about getting caught by them," Hiei said, thoughtful. "Or rather, avoiding it. That would explain why everyone is so skittish."

"Quiet, and hurry," Genkai ordered. "We're almost there."

"Hey, you!" barked a voice behind them.

Hiei exchanged a glance with Genkai before they turned to the lone trooper who had snuck up on them.

"How long have you had these droids?" he asked, voice muffled through his helmet.

"Oh," answered Genkai, "about three or four years. Can't quite remember."

"Let me see some identification," barked the soldier.

"Why, officer? Don't you believe a harmless little old lady?" Genkai asked innocently, patting her pockets - as if looking for an I.D. - and walking closer to the trooper.

Hiei held back a laugh. He and the droids watched as the old woman disposed of the trooper with a few quick blows. Then he helped her stash the trooper inside a dumpster.

"'Harmless?'" Hiei quoted, amused.

"We don't have much time now," she said briskly, and they hurried out of the alley, onto the street.

* * *

Hiei wrinkled his nose at the entrance to the cantina. From this angle he could tell that it went underground. He could smell alcohol waft up from beneath. "_This_ is the place?"

"Don't knock it yet, you haven't even been inside," Genkai responded. She sounded like she was getting tired of his griping.

Hiei shrugged and followed her inside. Entering, he realized a hazard; the door was situated in just a way that everyone could see you as you walked in, but since it was so bright outside, you could not see the inside right away. Hiei blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted, and saw the old woman already sitting at the bar. He was about to follow when the barkeeper said something.

"What?" the fire demon snapped in annoyance.

"Your droids," said the man. Or, at least he looked something like a man. "We don't serve their kind here."

Hiei cursed. "Whatever." To Koenma and George he said, "Can I trust you two morons to keep yourselves occupied for a little while? I'll come find you when we're done."

Koenma nodded his round head. "Don't worry about us. I'd rather not be in a place like this anyway."

Hiei wrinkled his nose, again taking in the smell. He had nothing against alcohol, having enjoyed it quite a few times himself, but there were things about this place that suggested it hadn't been cleaned in years. One of those things was, indeed, the smell. "Just don't get caught."

The two droids left quickly, and Hiei almost envied them. He headed toward where Genkai was sitting. She had another cigarette out and was talking to a tall man with small eyes, orange hair, and a face that, even if it hadn't been hit a multitude of times, still would not be even remotely attractive. (4) Hiei sat on the other side of the old Tantei and ordered a drink. He felt eyes staring at him from all over the bar, but he ignored them. When he was shoved roughly by the creature next to him, he didn't even spill his drink.

The alien barked angrily at him, and the Jaganshi just glared silently, waiting. Why it was picking a fight with him Hiei didn't know. Perhaps he looked like fresh meat. But if it pulled out its blaster, Hiei would make it rethink that assumption.

Two figures appeared at the creature's back. Oh, how cute. It had friends. One looked sort of human, but also sort of something else altogether. The second would have definitely been human, had his ki signature not been so obvious. (That had been the first skill that Hiei had acquired--harnessing his ki to recognize the ki in others.) The darkness of the cantina could not possibly hope to hide his looks; he had dark red hair and large, crafty green eyes.

When this one tapped the shoulder of the sort-of-human, Hiei immediately altered his earlier observation: he didn't seem to be their friend after all. Which made his presence even more curious as he began talking.

"The little one has done nothing to you," said the redhead smoothly, giving the two a look that said clearly, 'I own you.' Hiei, of course, twitched at the "little one" comment and glared at him. "Why don't I buy you another drink and we forget all about this?"

The two adversarial Youkai exchanged a look, then smirked at the redhead. "You must be joking," said the creature's friend. His hand went to the blaster attached to his belt. "Get lost, pretty. This doesn't involve you."

The redhead's smile tightened visible. "It does now."

"Why you little --" He didn't get to finish. Quicker than the Youkai could react, the redhead had closed the space between them and punched his chest. The sort-of-human heaved and fell over, clutching his stomach.

His creature friend pulled its blaster on the redhead, but before he could get off a shot, his arm had been cleaved off. It had been distracted, and had forgotten about Hiei altogether since the redhead had appeared. It dropped on the ground beside its friend, its remaining hand going to where its arm used to be. The bartender shrieked through the entire event, and other patrons of the cantina stood back, watching with curiosity.

The fight was over quickly, and the redhead turned to Hiei just as he was extinguishing his black-bladed lightsaber. Hiei glared up at him.

"I didn't need your help," he said firmly.

The redhead only smiled. It was kinder than the one he'd given the two beings, and it irritated the fire demon greatly. "So I see."

Genkai and the orange-haired human she had been talking with came over. He was taller than Hiei had originally thought, but decidedly as oafish looking now that he was up close. "Oi, what did you do now?" he asked the redhead, looking at their handiwork in confusion.

The redhead laughed softly. He appeared embarrassed. This most likely was not his first bar fight. "For once it wasn't me."

"I didn't ask for you to interfere!" Hiei reminded tersely. He should've let the moron get shot.

"What's this?" the oaf asked, indicating the Jaganshi. Hiei bristled, but before he could respond Genkai spoke.

"Hiei, these gentlemen think their ship may be able to suit our current needs," the old woman informed him. She turned to the redhead. "I take it you're the captain?" He nodded. "Then we should continue this where the whole damn cantina can't see us."

The redhead nodded. "Of course. I was sitting at one of the booths earlier; let's see if it hasn't been snatched yet." He led them through the crowd toward one of the tables in the back of the cantina. Hiei studied him more closely than before. He hardly looked the role of a pilot; his clothing was rather ordinary, almost casual wear, consisting of black pants and a white shirt. Freelance, Hiei surmised. Couldn't possibly work for a company or outfit. Which would explain exactly why he was in this place and why Genkai wanted to hire him.

The table the pilot had indicated was unoccupied and he sat down, his oafish friend sitting beside him. Hiei and Genkai sat across from them. They were closer to the band of musicians from here.

The redhead got straight to business, talking directly to Genkai. "I take it you're interested in buying a transport."

The old woman nodded. "That's right. We need a fast ship to deliver us to the Alderaan system."

He smiled. "I assure you, speed is one thing the Millennium Falcon is not lacking."

Genkai inclined her head to the redhead's friend. "Your co-pilot, Kuwabara, was telling me that you would have no trouble getting us past any Meikai."

Hiei nearly did a double-take. That dumb looking human was a _co_-_pilot_?

"The Falcon can outrun Meikai starships." The pilot was not bragging, but he definitely had pride in his eyes. "Not those ordinary bulk-cruisers, but the new Corellian models." He gazed at the old woman thoughtfully, eyes piercing. "You're very specific about this. Are you, perhaps, running from something?"

"You can say that," Genkai responded neutrally. She returned the keen look.

The redhead smiled again, like he'd just caught sight of something he might like to buy. Or steal. "Then it will cost you extra. Ten thousand, all in advance." The oaf, Kuwabara, gave him a startled look.

"Ten thousand?" Hiei spoke up, mentally gawking at the price. "We could buy our own fucking ship for that."

"But not one as good as _my _'fucking ship,'" the redhead pointed out, looking at him for the first time since sitting at the booth. He gave Hiei an altogether different look than the one he had given Genkai. "That's my price. Take it or leave it."

Hiei glared at the redhead for a moment then shrugged, appearing as if he no longer cared. "Whatever. It's her decision."

Genkai was casting a look between the two and hid a smile. This trip would prove entertaining. "I'll pay you two thousand before we leave," she said, "and fifteen when we reach our destination."

The pilot's green eyes widened in obvious surprise. "Seventeen, huh? Well, that's something. Alright," his smile returned, "you have a deal. Meet us when you're ready, at docking bay ninety-four."

Genkai nodded. Hiei watched as the redhead looked up and over at something at the bar. Following his gaze, he saw that it was two Meikai troopers.

The fire demon cursed and turned back around.

"It seems your friends are looking for you," the pilot said no later.

Genkai didn't even turn around, but neither did she seem surprised. "Figures. See you later." The old woman rose from the table and took off. Her short stature helped her slip easily into the crowded room. She headed toward a back door to the cantina.

Hiei was right behind her, but paused and turned around. "What's your name?" he asked the redhead.(5)

He looked nervously at the approaching troopers, then back to Hiei. "Kurama."

Hiei nodded. "I'll remember that." It may have been just a promise, or a thinly veiled threat, but before Kurama could find out, the black-haired being was suddenly gone.

The troopers burst onto the scene, but didn't find their targets. Kurama leaned closer to Kuwabara and spoke softly. "Seventeen thousand!"

"I know!" Kuwabara said, smiling broadly. "We can pay off Tarukane with that, and have plenty to spare."

"Could buy a lot of supplies for the Falcon," Kurama added.

"And food," Kuwabara interjected. "Don't forget food."

"No, of course not." He looked in the direction the boy and old woman had gone. The troopers had already left. "What did you think of them?"

"The old woman seems nice," Kuwabara said. "Straightforward and blunt, but nice. The shrimp may be trouble." He saw Kurama's smile. "But you like trouble, eh, Kurama?"

Kurama laughed at the good-natured jab. "You act like I save attractive strangers frequently."

"Well, not _save_ them, but it's the same thing."

"Not really," Kurama spoke meditatively. "Not when they have that look that he had in his eyes."

"Look?"

"Intense. From his scent he's probably a fire youkai, and the ward might be covering a Jagan eye. He's more than he seems. So is the woman."

Kuwabara whistled. "I'll go get the ship ready."

Kurama nodded. "I'll be there shortly." There was another redhead - hair not as brilliant or well kept as his own - with tattoos on his face sitting across the room, eyeing him. He recognized who it was immediately and decided to wait and see what the technique-stealing demon wanted.(6)

* * *

Later, back at the docking bay where his beloved ship was resting, he decided that waiting may not have been one of his brighter ideas.

Kurama had been checking the Falcon for last minute repairs and check-ups, arguing with Mukuro over whether to fix a component or leave it later, when he heard a booming voice sound from outside in the yard. A voice that spoke in Huttesse.

"Kurama! Get out here!"

Kurama stuck his head out, not coming completely down the landing pad. As he had already guessed, there stood Tarukane the Hutt, as bulky and slimy as ever. The worm-like Youkai was surrounded by goons, and he recognized one with a shiver. The bounty-hunter Karasu.

"What do you want?" he demanded of the Hutt gangster.

Tarukane grinned with his wide, gross mouth. "I knew you would be here. Where's your idiot partner?"

"Right behind you, waiting to see if you're going to attack me," Kurama replied easily. Everyone in the Hutt's party whirled to see Kuwabara leaning against the entrance of the docking bay, waving at them mock-cheerfully.

"You were expecting us," Tarukane guessed as soon as he was able to recover from his surprise.

Kurama gave the Hutt a steely look. "I know you," he responded simply. He walked down the rampart, scrubbing at the grease on his hands with an already dirty cloth. "You didn't answer my question."

Tarukane said, "Kurama, my boy, you've disappointed me. You haven't paid me. And why did you kill poor Rando like that? With one of your nasty little plants no less."

Rando had tried shrinking him. Kurama had let his plants eat him. "You sent him to kill _me_, Tarukane."

The Hutt looked surprised, but Kurama knew he was faking it. "Kill you? Why, my dear boy, I would never do that to you! After all these years, you're like my own son."

Kurama didn't even bat an eye. "I must get my looks from my mother."

"Point is, he wasn't going to _kill_ you. I sent him to express my concern over your delays."

Kurama nodded sagely. "Yes, he looked like he was trying very hard not to turn me into a miniature smuggler."

"Kurama!" He gave up his act, but continued to sound friendly. "My friend, if only you hadn't ejected that shipment of spice. I can't make exceptions, even if it's you. What would everyone say if I let all of my smugglers dump their cargo at the first sign of Meikai star cruisers? That is not good business, and you know it."

The youko sighed. "I'm not a deity, even I get boarded sometimes. Do you think I _wanted_ to lose the money that shipment would've gotten me?" He knew his snappish attitude was pushing it--the Hutt put up a lot from him over the years but was not likely to for much longer--so he added, "I have a new charter now, so I'll pay you back soon, plus even a little extra. Just give me time to get it to you."

Tarukane rubbed his chin. He couldn't turn down a sweet deal like that. Plus, he really didn't want to have to kill the smuggler. He would, but he didn't want to. "Alright, my boy. But no more of this," he waved a chubby hand, "dispute between us. We're friends aren't we?"

Kurama pasted on a smile. "Yes, Tarukane, of course we are."

"But disappoint me again and I'll put a bounty on your head so large you won't be able to go near a civilized system for the rest of your short life!"

Tarukane obviously hadn't listen to the rumors about him rising from the dead. "I'll keep that in mind," he answered the Hutt's warning gift.(7)

"Let's go!" the boss called, and the guards all began following Tarukane out. All save one, and Kurama held in a shiver as he felt hands ghost over his side-locks.

"Kurama," said a silky voice. "You do not fit in this place, this ship; with your hands so dirty and hair so matted."

Turn down _one_ offer for a drink, and suddenly he had a psychotic stalker. "Karasu, I do believe that it is most _not _your place to tell me where I belong and where I don't." And his hair was NOT matted! "Now, if you're done expressing your jealousy for my ship, I'd like to get back to her now."

Karasu brought his hands away as if stung. "Play with you're little toy, Kurama. You have no idea what you're missing."

"I'd rather kiss a Wookiee's ass," Kurama said bluntly.(8) He could see the insult boiled that cool exterior of the bounty hunter's even more, but just then Kuwabara decided to come up to the ship. The human glared at the long-haired Youkai, and Karasu took the hint and left. Kurama heaved a sigh. "Thanks, Kuwabara."

The orange-haired human gave a cock-sure shrug. "What're friends for? Besides, you can handle a runt like that."

Kurama looked at him sadly. "Perhaps." The only reason he and Karasu hadn't fought was because of Tarukane. He _needed _to get that seventeen thousand or he would lose the gangster's favor, and who knew what would happen to the Falcon or Kuwabara after that?

* * *

4. Hiei POV. Sorry, Kuwa-dear.

5. Oh, like you're surprised I'm rehashing something else.

6. Sorry for being deliberately vague -- it's Rando. (Randy!)

7. This is referring to an odd passage in the first Jedi Apprentice books; Obi-Wan thinks that the threat Jemba the Hutt gave Qui-Gon is a gift. I took it as being a peculiar notion among the species.

8. What? It's not the exact quote. (innocent look)


	5. Chapter Four: Hiei and the Snarky System

**Reikai Wars**

Part One: Hope

Hiei/Kurama

By: Chrissy Sky

* * *

Chapter Four: Hiei and the Snarky System Computer

Leaving Mos Eisley, retrieving the speeder, and bringing it into the city was much easier than it would have been with the droids. After selling the speeder, and getting barely two thousand for it, they went to pick up the droids and head to the docking bay area.

Hiei got the feeling they were being followed and mentioned it to Genkai, who shrugged.

"We don't have enough time to double back and lose them," she said. "Just keep going. If all else fails, grab the droids and run for it." They were both fast enough to out-run troopers, if that was the case.

They weren't stopped all the way to the docking bay, where Kuwabara waiting for them at the entrance of. He hurried them inside and they got their first look at the much-praised Millennium Falcon.

"What a piece of crap," Hiei observed in disgust. They'd been conned!

Kurama came down the loading ramp just after the words left his mouth, as if he had a radar for anyone insulting his ship. "For your information, she can make point five past light speed. Don't underestimate her by how she looks." He meant it as a hint at the fire demon's own appearance, and by the narrowing of those red eyes he could tell it was taken as such.

"If you two are done flirting I'd like to get off this shitty planet," Genkai said. Hiei gave her an angry look while Kurama didn't react to the innuendo. "We were being followed."

"Shit," said the pilot, becoming serious. "Yes, hurry on aboard, we'll leave immediately." He ushered them onto his ship, calling for Kuwabara to hurry up with the preparations. Shortly after they heard shouting from outside, and Kurama ran back to close the ramp. Blaster shots were exchanged, and the redhead came back running toward the cockpit. "Kuwabara, get us out of here _now_!"

The engines roared, and the passengers sat down in the central hold area as the starship lifted in the air. The blaster bolts hitting off the exterior of the Millennium Falcon were growing fainter as they ascended.

"I hate flying," Koenma said miserably. George nodded his blue metallic head in agreement.

It suddenly occurred to Hiei during all this excitement that he was getting what he'd always wanted. He was leaving Tatooine, going to space. But with the urgency of the situation; his sister in danger, the Meikai chasing them, he wasn't as pleased as he thought he would be.

When they had left the desert planet completely and entered space, Kurama checked the Falcon's instrumentation to see what the scanners were picking up. He saw Kuwabara doing the same.

"Oh, shit, an Imperial star destroyer," the human said, eyes bulging in surprise.

"Our passengers must be in more trouble than we thought," Kurama deducted, mind moving quickly over the situation. He scrambled out of his seat and began to make adjustments on the controls above him. "Try to hold them off if you can, and I'll finish the calculations for the jump to light speed."

Kuwabara sent a mock-salute his way and got to work. As he did, Hiei and Genkai decided to come to the cockpit, but the two, for the large part, ignored their presence. "Kurama, there's two more star destroyers coming in. Probably trying to cut us off, the bastards."

"Wonderful," Kurama said, flicking his hair out of his eyes in irritation. The cockpit was already cramped, but Hiei managed to come up beside him and watch him work. He spared the fire demon a glance.

"Why don't you outrun them? Isn't this piece of junk supposed to be fast?" Hiei demanded. After coming this far, it would be pathetic for it all to end here.

Kuwabara looked like he would like to try to correct the Jaganshi's assumption of their beloved starship, but Kurama kept him from doing so. Despite the insult, he spoke calmly, if distracted. "Still making the calculations for the jump. If we don't check the computer's navigational chart of the galaxy, we'd end up hitting a star, ricocheting off a supernova, or something equally as unpleasant."

"How long before you make the damn jump?" Genkai asked.

"Just a few more minutes," Kurama replied, nimble hands flying over the control panel. "Right now we're trying to outmaneuver them and hope our shields hold."

The ship suddenly began jarring violently as lasers from the star destroyers hit.

"Trying being the operative word there," Hiei said, gritting his teeth and keeping his balance by holding onto the pilot's chair.

"Listen, shrimp," Kuwabara spoke up this time. He was trying to concentrate and the boy's snide comments were not helping. "We don't have time for babysitting farm boys, so get the hell out of here so Kurama and I can get us the hell outta here!"

Hiei glared right back. "But who's going to baby-sit you, fool?"

"I will," Kurama answered, still distracted more by the scene outside than by the argument in his ship. He grabbed the fire demon's shoulders and turned him toward the exit. "Go sit down, we're about to go to light speed!"

Fiery eyes turned on him now, and Hiei followed Genkai out.

"Thought they'd never leave," Kuwabara complained, then shot his boss a side-long glance as the stars streaked in front of them through the view screen. "And you are _not_ my fucking babysitter, Kurama."

The youko laughed softly. "Joking, Kuwa."

* * *

Returning back to the hold area with a simmering fire demon, Genkai let him be. There was only so much she could do for him; Hiei wouldn't appreciate coddling anyway, though it wouldn't be her that would give it, and he was hardly a child any longer. The young man was bright, but not nearly as worlds-weary as the two pirates, and that irritated him. He'd have to learn to conquer that hump on his own.

Hiei was tempted to kick something, the nearest thing being Koenma, but a new voice spoke up and gave him pause. "So, you must be Kurama's newest strays." It sounded decidedly feminine, thought there was something not quite right about it. Hiei turned to where the voice was coming from, but could see no one there.

Genkai hummed thoughtfully, taking a seat. She was sitting near one of the many bonsai trees placed in the hold. She pulled out and lit a cigarette; it may have just been her imagination, but the plants seemed to shrink away from her as she did. "Strays, huh?"

"Che. Who is that?" Hiei demanded.

"I live here," replied the voice. "Who the hell are you?"

"They're our guests, Mukuro," Kurama replied, coming in from the cockpit. Kuwabara was right behind him. "Be a little more polite; they're paying us."

"You're getting paid, Kurama?" asked the voice. "Did one of the hells open up a skating rink?"

Kuwabara snorted and sat down at the game table. Kurama smiled tolerantly. "Yes, and they named it in your honor, Mukuro-baby."

"How nice." The voice didn't sound at all impressed by the jest.

"What _is_ that?" Hiei queried, glaring up at the redhead. He realized what was odd about the voice - it was artificial, like a droid's.

"Oh, that's just the Falcon's system computer," Kurama said, sitting down at an observation panel and checking readouts blinking across the board. He spoke as he read. "The former owner had a very remarkable sense of humor. Shortly before I bought the Falcon, she placed a complete copy of her personality into the system."

Kuwabara guffawed, despite the fact that he was losing his game. There were little holographic creatures wresting each other on the table in front of him, the winner stomping on his player until it 'died.' "Bought he says!"

Kurama gave his first mate a dirty look, but it didn't silence him. Distantly, Hiei and Genkai thought they heard the system computer joining in. "I won the Falcon in a came of sabaac, you know that."

"One, that's not exactly buying it honestly," Kuwabara pointed out, starting a new game. "Two, Yuusuke says you cheated."

The youko looked affronted. "I did not."

"Uh huh."

Hiei rolled his eyes and turned his attention from the conversation, safe in the knowledge that the two were complete idiots. Genkai held out a small, round device to him, which drew his curiosity.

"I figured you'd want to practice with your new saber," she explained, and switched the training droid on. The metallic orb floated in the air near Hiei's head, waiting. "Activate the saber and take a fighting stance. It'll open fire immediately. Knowing how fast you are, I set it at the highest level."

Shrugging mentally, Hiei pulled out the blade. The exercise was commenced quietly, with the room's other occupants watching him. Every shot that came his way was blocked easily and he only stopped when he heard Genkai gasp softly.

Turning off the lightsaber he looked at the old woman. "What's wrong with you?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, as if concentrating on something. Her hand was against her heart. "Something just happened, and it was definitely not a good thing."

Hiei raised an eyebrow at the cryptic message, but it seemed that was all the Tantei was willing to divulge. Kurama had taken a close interest in the exchange, and decided it would be appreciated if he changed the subject.

"That's an unusual weapon you have, Hiei," said the redhead.(9) He hadn't seen one in quite a many years.

The demon gave him a look then tossed him the weapon. Kurama caught it deftly and looked it over, marveling over the fact that he'd surrendered his weapon (which he hadn't even asked him to) more than the saber itself.

"Fascinating," he said. "I've never seen one up close before."

"You're familiar with it?" Genkai asked. She looked like she had recovered from whatever fit had hit her.

"Vaguely," Kurama lied. "Laser swords. Weapons of Tantei, who were annihilated during the Clone Wars, right?"

Genkai nodded. There was something in her eyes that said his faux ignorance didn't fool her. He knew that she knew there was something he wasn't saying. "The Tantei, nothing more than a memory."

"Memories should be treasured," Kurama said. He handed Hiei back his weapon. "But one should not live their lives in one. Best to move forward toward the future."

The old woman smiled slightly, but the expression didn't reach her eyes. "Hmm."

A new blinking light went off on the console Kurama had been checking earlier, and the pilot caught it immediately. "We've reached Alderaan, it seems." Kuwabara abandoned his game at hearing that, and the two reentered the cockpit.

* * *

Grand Moff Sakyo stood, listening intently as one of his officer's explained his findings. The dark lord Toguro was silently beside him. Just moments ago they had destroyed Princess Yukina's home planet in order to test the Death Star's weaponry, and the scouts were now reporting in on the information she had divulged.

The threat had been simple; either she tell them the whereabouts of the Rebel base (which would be a lot simpler than scouring the galaxy for lost blueprints), or they would destroy Alderaan. Of course, she had talked. Naturally, Sakyo had lied.

Officer Seriyuu told his two superiors, "Upon reaching Dantooine, the scouts report no signs of rebel activity currently in the area. A base _was_ there, but long abandoned."

Sakyo was angry. "She lied! That blasted girl lied to us!"

Toguro shrugged. "We lied to her." She must have known the whole time her planet would be obliterated. The little Koorime continued to surprise him.

"Don't act so blasé, Lord Toguro," Sakyo said. "This is as much your problem as it is mine." That should remind them they were both working for the same megalomaniac who would kill them unhesitatingly should they fail. He turned back to Seriyuu. "Terminate the princess immediately."

* * *

9. My fandoms have phallic symbols. (Lightsabers, wands, Tokyo Tower.) Now, what I find funny is the fact that Kurama is taking an interest in Hiei's. (grins)


	6. Chapter Five: The Death Star

**Reikai Wars**

Part One: Hope

Hiei/Kurama

By: Chrissy Sky

* * *

Chapter Five: The Death Star

Kurama flipped the switches located above his seat, and stopped on the final one. "We set?"

"Uh huh," Kuwabara affirmed from beside him.

"Alright, I'm cutting the sublight engines now," Kurama informed customarily. The stars streaking ahead of them came to a halt as the Millennium Falcon came out of hyperspace. They began jolting erratically and the two pilots looked frantically at the readouts. Asteroids screamed past, visible through the view port.

This wasn't right. Not at all.

"A meteor shower?" Kuwabara asked in a daze.

"Mukuro!" Kurama yelled, knowing the computer would hear him. "What's going on?"

"Yeah, where's the planet?" Kuwabara added.

"How should I know?" the feminine voice snapped. "The charts were correct. This meteor shower isn't supposed to be here."

"So, we're in the Alderaan system?" Kuwabara asked to be sure.

"Yes, of course we are," said the computer with an exasperated sigh. "I thought that was _quite_ obvious."

"Then where's the planet?" Hiei asked as he and Genkai came into the cockpit.

Kurama blinked at him in honest confusion. "I have no idea." There was no way there was a fault in the navigational system; Mukuro would have noticed and informed him.

"It was destroyed," Genkai said suddenly. "By the Meikai. They're the only ones who could possibly be responsible for it." Which meant that her old friend, Sensui, was dead. Like so many others from the past.

Kuwabara shook his head wildly in disagreement. "No way! No ship in the entire fleet has the power to destroy an entire planet."

"No one else would have the desire to do so," Genkai argued tersely.

An soft alarm began beeping and Kurama turned back to the console. "Further speculation will have to wait. There's an incoming craft."

"Maybe they know what happened," Kuwabara said.

"They should," Genkai responded, "it's a Meikai fighter."

"Don't you think you're being a little bit paranoid?" Hiei asked archly. The words had barely left his mouth when a Meikai TIE fighter flew past the cockpit window.

Genkai gave all three males an annoyed look that screamed, "Told you so."

"TIE fighters are only capable of short-range travel," Kurama said. "So how'd it get all the way out here, I wonder."

"If they identify us, they may recognize your ship's markings from our hasty escape from Tatooine," Genkai pointed out.

Kuwabara nodded, his hands flying over his side of the console. "Already thought of that, ma'am, the fighter's transmissions have now been jammed."

Kurama gave his friend a pleased look and got to work at the controls himself. "Alright, now let's go make sure he won't be telling anyone about us."

"Where could it have came from?" Genkai wondered aloud.

Hiei's eyes narrowed as he caught sight of something. "It looks like he's headed toward that moon there," he said to Kurama, motioning to a star that was growing increasingly larger. The redhead nodded as he saw it.

"I'll get him before he reaches it," Kurama said. "His base is probably located somewhere in its orbit."

As it grew larger, something became horribly apparent about the supposed moon. There were outlines and markings on its surface that were not craters. In fact, it looked decidedly man-made.

"That's a space station," Genkai said, shocked, "not a moon." The rest of the ship's organic occupants were as dumbfounded as she was. They all knew with certainty that this was why Alderaan didn't seem to exist anymore.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Kuwabara announced.(10)

"Kuwabara," Kurama said abruptly, feeling exactly the same way, "let's get out of here. Now. Lock on the auxiliary power."

Before Kuwabara could type the order into the console, the Falcon shuddered briefly. The TIE fighter accelerated onward toward the station.

"Why the fuck aren't we getting out of here?" Hiei demanded sharply of the redheaded captain, who looked fiercely at the controls of his vessel.

"We're caught in a tractor beam," Kurama told him calmly despite the situation, "and we're being pulled to the space station along with the fighter."

"If you had let it go," Genkai pointed out softly, "this wouldn't be happening."

"I didn't know that at the time, and there's not much I can do about it now," Kurama said, concentrating more on his ship than the conversation.

"Isn't there something you can do _now_?" Hiei asked. Why was the demon always standing nearby? It wasn't like there was a lot of room in his cockpit; not that he was complaining about his ship in any way, of course.

"No," Kurama said. "We're at full power, and we'll have to shut down -"

"But they won't get us without a fight," Kuwabara added firmly.

"Perhaps we can find an alternative form of resistance," Genkai said. The three men turned to look at the old woman. There was a crafty light in her eyes.

* * *

All was dark. Not one beam of light pierced the gloom from the openings of the storage compartments, and that was probably best in the long run. Genkai had figured correctly; since Kurama was a smuggler of illegal goods, his ship inevitably had a place to hide it.

Hiei huddled in one of the small compartments, cramped inside with the fox demon and the idiot human. Though, he was sitting nearer Kurama, but that was only because he didn't want to be near the human. At least, that's what he told himself.

He was near enough to hear the youko's soft breath quicken as footsteps sounded overhead. A trooper walked overhead, obviously searching the corridor that the storage compartments were located on. The first troopers were to search for living beings. There would be a second assembly, of technicians rather than soldiers, who would check the Falcon's computer systems. The system's behavior patterns would probably not enjoy the experience.

When the steps receded, Kurama and Kuwabara stood to lift the opening up. Poking their heads out, they saw Genkai doing that same. She had hid with Koenma and George, and the oni-like droid sat up shortly after she exited. Koenma was not tall enough to do this, of course, and Kuwabara would have to lift him out of the space.

"It's good to see you're not completely inept in your occupation," Hiei pointed out calmly, earning a glare from Kuwabara. The almost-insult was brushed off easily by the youko, who smiled at him slightly.

"I never would've thought in a million years that I'd be using these compartments to smuggle myself," confided Kurama. "But it still doesn't help. I can't take off the station with that tractor beam."

"Then we'll have to deactivate it," Genkai said firmly. "That'll be my job."

Kurama nodded. "Sounds like a good enough idea as any."

It was simple enough from there; since there were no life forms aboard the vessel, security around the main forward bay of the Death Star was reduced save for three guards. When the crewmen came on board, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei quickly got them out of the way, then posed as them and called the guards into the ship. Stealing the armor of the troopers, they encountered a slight problem with the sizes that was dealt with by adjusting bands and wrist shields. Kurama's, of course, fit perfectly, Hiei noticed with slight contempt. And the fox looked very smug about it too.

Masquerading as Meikai troopers, Kurama and Kuwabara led Genkai, Koenma, and George to the command office without anyone finding them. Hiei remained with the ship momentarily only to perform a needed distraction in order to get inside the command office. Then he flitted up to join them, removing the stifling helmet once he was inside and closing the door to the office. There were a couple of officers laying on the floor, hit by blaster fire. George and Koenma were already hooked up to the computer, Genkai waiting eagerly for the news they would report.

Hiei turned to Kurama. "You do realize that between your partner's habit of hollering and blasting anything that moves, it's a miracle that we haven't been discovered."

The redhead smiled at him slightly and the demon quickly looked away. Kuwabara was, of course, sputtering at the insult.

"Bring on their armies!" bellowed the human confidently. "I can take them!"

"Between your lousy shot and your weak ki level, I highly doubt that," Hiei drawled. The human lunged at him and the demon easily sidestepped him.

"We'll have enough trouble fighting with the beings on this station, let alone with each other," Genkai remarked. "So quit it."

Hiei shrugged and went to sit down near the computer Koenma was plugged into.

"Koenma-sama," George said eagerly, "did you find it yet?"

"Shut up, George. Ah! Here it is. The precise location for the tractor beam will appear on the monitor shortly, Genkai." The old woman nodded and waited for him to continue, eyes devouring the information on the computer's small monitor. "There are seven terminals that join the tractor beam to the reactor. A loss of power at one of the terminals will allow the ship to leave."

Genkai nodded and moved swiftly toward the door. "Be good, boys. Don't kill each other while I'm gone." And with that, she was gone.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Kuwabara asked dumbly. "Sit here and wait for her to get back?! And what if she's caught?"

"Then we're in even bigger trouble," Kurama stated easily, taking a seat beside Hiei. "Or we could be discovered before her just by sitting here."

"Geez, way to look on the bright side, Kurama," Kuwabara said sarcastically. Kurama shrugged.

"I found her!" Koenma's shriek broke over a short silence. "She's here, she's here!"

"Who?" asked Hiei in a manner which said he really didn't care but was asking in order to shut the droid up.

"The princess!"

That, of course, had the desired effect. Hiei dashed off of his seat and to the droid. "Tell me where, now."

"Princess?" Kurama asked, walking over curiously. "Who're you talking about?"

"Detention block AA-twenty three on level five," Koenma responded. "She's been scheduled to be terminated."

Hiei's eyes flared. "Like hell she is!" He was about to head out the door when Kurama grabbed his arm.

"You can't just go charging off!" the youko said sternly. "You'll need a plan of some sort."

"There's not time for that!" The arm the fox held felt warm for some reason. He couldn't describe it and it made him uncomfortable.

"Not if I come up with one quickly," Kurama said. He dropped his grip on the demon and cast his eyes around the room. He picked up a pair of handcuffs thoughtfully, then looked back at Hiei.(11) "I think this might work."

"You _think _it may work?"

The fox didn't answer him, instead going to his human friend and trying to get Kuwabara to put them on. When Kuwabara argued, Kurama asked Hiei if he had a picture of the princess. The demon, slightly confused, had Koenma replay part of Yukina's message. After seeing the Koorime's visage, Kuwabara put the handcuffs on himself, removed the stolen armor, and left the office before hearing the whole plan. Kurama and Hiei chased him down before he was seen.

They would walk right into the detention bay. Kuwabara would be their prisoner, and their ticket inside. After they were inside, however, the plan got a bit trickier.

George and Koenma were left behind, locked safely in the control office. Hopefully, they would remain until the three beings returned.

As they marched, more soldiers appeared, walking around on their various duties. No one suspected them. They caught an elevator and took that to the fifth level detention area.

"I hate these things," Kurama said after a moment. "It's hard to breathe or see."

Kuwabara smirked, gloating. "Bet you wish you'd been the prisoner, huh? Stupid armor. No wonder they're such morons."

"Why didn't you join their ranks?" Hiei asked archly. He agreed silently with Kurama's complaints. "You'd get along well with them."

The human would have attacked, but Kurama leaned a hand on his shoulder and spoke to him softly, calming his irritation. Kuwabara huffed and faced away from the fire demon.

"You like goading him," Kurama said. For some reason he had moved closer to him. Hiei didn't move away because he didn't want the youko to know how it bothered him.

Hiei shrugged in response and didn't answer the question. Instead he asked one of his own. "Why are you helping me?" Kurama knew nothing of Yukina. For an intelligent person such as the youko seemed, it didn't fit.

Kurama gave his own shrug. "Why did I help you in the cantina?" he asked rhetorically.

The Jaganshi tried to look at him, but his vision was dimmed by the helmet. "Why _did_ you?" he wondered.

He could hear the redhead's smile even if he could not see it. "That's something I'm wondering myself."

"Che."

Kuwabara gazed at the two with a thoughtful frown, but did not add anything to the conversation. The elevator stopped, and he turned toward where the entrance had been, only to have Kurama turn him sharply in the other direction. Ah, the door was on the other side of the elevator now.

The Meikai were weird.

Inside was a control room for the detention area. Beyond this main room, they could see a hallway lined with cells. Hiei's heart sped up. His sister would be there! But he did not move forward; if he charged in now it would put Kurama and the idiot in danger. While he didn't much like the human, the youko was as annoying and the thought of his death was disconcerting to the usually aloof demon.

"What are you doing here?" one of the guards asked.

"Prisoner transfer from one-one-three-eight," Kurama lied easily. The officer frowned at him.

"I wasn't notified," said the Meikai lackey in alarm. "I'll have to clear it." He moved forward to check for code that would have been on a normal prisoner's cuffs. However, Kuwabara wasn't a prisoner, and when the man came near, he called his ki weapon. "Rei ken!" The glowing blade-like energy pierced the chest of the officer, killing him.

Chaos ensued. The other soldiers in the room opened fire. Hiei and Kurama threw off their helmets so they were able to see, pulled out their blasters, and fired back. In order to buy some time, as they had planned previously, the two pseudo troopers began yelling, "The prisoner has escaped!" "He's gone mad!" and "He'll kill us all!" Hopefully it would buy them some time. Additionally, they took out the security cameras.

When the fight was over, Hiei raced to the computer, Kurama at his heels. Punching a series of keys, the Jaganshi soon found what he needed. The number of Yukina's cell. "You stay here and hold them off," he told Kurama shortly and headed down the cell row. He could hear the youko's soft voice as he opened communications with a Meikai officer, trying to explain what had happened. He could tell the conversation wasn't going well when Kurama shot the com. He looked over his shoulder to glare at the fox.

"You'd better hurry," Kurama said wryly. "They'll be on their way."

"Damn it!" Hiei kept searching until, finally, he found the cell.

* * *

10. Take a sip.

11. If he pulls out some whipped cream, then I'm gonna be worried.


End file.
